ISN Interviews With Galactic Space Captains

by Jens Dengler

Welcome To ISN Personality. It's Saturday February 29th, 2268 Earth Standard Time. This is Mario
Newman reporting for the Interstellar News Network. From our studio in Locanda on the planet Levo, we have
Robert Scupin, with an exclusive live interview... Robert...

RS - Ah! (Wide grin) Sorry. The reason we have Christine O'Hara here with us today is due to the
astonishing fact that Miss O'Hara holds a very unique record. She has been the captain of *thirty* ships, all
destroyed in space, and each time safely ejecting in an escape pod. So, what was your previous ship?

CO - Chris' Courier X.

RS - Where and how did you lose it?

CO - Near Clotho. After the jump-in, I was instantly attacked by a Lightning. Although the Courier
was equipped with two extra shield capacitors, the shields were neutralized by his missiles and then I was
hit by a heavy rocket. The Courier fell apart in seconds. There was no chance for counter-measures. The
pirate, Lars Magna, had no interest in any of my cargo. I've shot him down at least two times, the last time
around Turin.

RS - Perhaps a feudal quarrel, eh? (Wide grin again) Talking about family... you have a somewhat
famous family history. Could you fill our viewers in?

CO - My grandma's grandma's mother was adopted by Ruth O'Hara in 2092. Ruth O'Hara was the first
human born outside of the solar system in 2047 under the Alpha Centauri sun on the planet now called
Landfall. Her mother died there in 2050.

RS - Sounds quite similar to your own life. Your mother, Christine O'Hara, died three years after
your birth in a pirate attack. Could it be that you hold a personal vendetta against pirates?

RS - It's said that you have an "Ultimate" combat rating. I guess many of the pirates weren't
aware of this. It has also been stated, you rate as a decent individual on both confederate and rebel
planets. On the other hand, your legal status on Levo and many of the other independent planets around the
Matar system is somewhat questionable. Would you like to give us a comment on that?

CO - I think that Levo and some of the other systems are practicing anticipated obedience for the
Confederation, which is excusable because of their neighbors. You see, when I'm attacked, I normally don't
destroy the fiends. I used to try to recover any surviving crew or passengers. Only once, had I not been able
to find a single soul. I even tried to recover escape pods, but I usually lost them on the border of a
quadrant. They are all space derelicts. I find a lot of pirate traps, so now I don't touch them anymore,
especially when I get hailed for help from such wrecks. Most of the independent planets don't like when
pirates come around their system, but they also don't like pirate hunters. Although they give you the money,
you continue to be offensive to them. As you've said, I'm stated as a decent individual on any Confederation
planet.

RS - On the other hand, some Confeds don't like you at all?

CO - Only some militarists. Shortly before the pirate attack at Clotho, my courier ship was attacked
around Turin by some Confederation troops around a rebel world - I mean: outside their fish bowl. With the
help of two rebel destroyers, the attackers were sent to rest. You see, I always try to save life. When I see
that a world is under attack, I'll try to protect it if I have the means to. I don't care if it is a Confed
or a Rebel world.

RS - The last time such an attack took place was around Topaz, where a release of Rebels on
Emerald last year were repelled? Were you witness to this? How was it possible that a whole fleet headed by
two Confederation Cruisers were eliminated?

CO - How these stories tend to grow. It was actually an asteroid hazard. In fact, I was the only
witness. I was asked to help prevent an invasion on Emerald. I agreed because of the endangered civilians. As
I launched from Emerald, there was a Rebel Destroyer and a Light Freighter in radar range. They were
reporting that Emerald had already fallen. I thought it was a joke or something, but then all hell break
loose. I couldn't count the number of Confeds which simultaneously jumped into the Topaz system, but it
was a lot. I was flying a Corvette with enough torps to crack two Cruisers, but I was to far away. One
frigate whizzed into the system in sight but slowed down too far away as well. I only heard the fire through
the intercom. One of the first missiles must have hit a large asteroid because all of the ships in the
quadrant were destroyed.

RS - Do you have any explanation for the asteroid hazards?

CO - If I had, I wouldn't had lost ninety percent of my ships. On a special mission where I had to
reach Sauron and Clotho, I once lost eight different ships, every time within the asteroid fields. There was
a time when those hazards were rare , but now they are more prevalent. It is even believed that the asteroid
hazards were being created by design by pirates and militarists shooting large asteroids to pieces. After
thirty lost ships, you have the right to have a little paranoia.

RS - (Smile.) Do you have a record of your lost ships?

CO - There were ten Couriers, nine Corvettes, five Kestrels, and one Argosy. The rest were Scout
ships and Clippers. You see... I don't think that I'm unlucky, but I'm responsible for the lives of around
1500 crew members. I worry about them, not any legal status.

RS - So what are your future plans? It's reported that you're not that bad off, financially. Is a
large portion of your fortune taken from the ships you've conquered?

CO - There's an old earth saying: Don't dump the Christmas tree before you take down all the
sweets.

RS - What jobs do you like most?

CO - I still want to save lives. I'll do as many emergency deliveries or evacuation jobs as necessary.
I don't care who I work for until one of the them decides to shoot down my next ship.

RS - Which perhaps will be named "Chris Corvette X", eh? Speaking of evacuation, is it shocking
to see the terror in the faces of your passengers?

CO - I think the passengers are shocked. I've done a lot of those jobs - the people are somewhat in a
trance. I will still continue to do evacuation jobs.

RS - And pirates? Lars Magna for instance?

CO - If he crosses my path, I'll be better prepared.

RS - So all you pirates and militarists out there, watch out for Christine O'Hara. Thanks for
being here with us and good luck to you, Miss O'Hara. And now back to the Inter Stellar News...